Figure toy eye structure



Dec. 2, 1952 A. F. DIKSZAS FIGURE TOY EYE STRUCTURE Filed July 2, 1948INVENTOR Albert E Dikszos Mi 7-Mw Patented Dec. 2, 1952 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE,

Application July 2 1948, Serial No. 36,612

2 Claims.

, utilization of a Mexican jumping bean to simulate the pupil in thetype of toy which is usually,

stuffed to simulate an animal, such as 2, Teddy bear, an elephant, or adoll.

Heretofore in the construction of toys such as Teddy bears, the eyeshave usually consisted of transparent capsules on the end of a barbedpin which was stuck into the toy.

Where some movement of the eye was desired, then the capsule was madehollow and the pupil was simulated by a flat dark disc having a degreeof limited movement within the capsule in response to the movement ofthe toy itself.

My invention by substituting a Mexican jumping bean appropriatelycolored where necessary for the pupil in a hollow capsule-type eye for astuffed toy will produce a toy having an inherent and variableexpression of its own not dependent on movement of the toy itself.

The salient feature of most stuffed toys, that the feature which lendsexpression to the face of such toys, is the character of the eyes.Variations in the shape and positioning of the eyes alone are known toresult in entire change of expression, changing the figure from a comicto a tragic one or varying the apparent attitude of the figure.

Since the Mexican jumping bean used in each eye capsule has independentmovement apart from any movement of the toy, the various movements ofthe bean when used in this method result in variations in the expressionof the toy.

The toy may at different times look downcast, happy, appear to belooking to the right or to the left, or may appear to be cross-eyed orwalleyed.

In order to accomplish this result, the capsule itself must be soarranged that the bean will tend to remain in the position to which ithas jumped while its movement to another position will not be impeded.

Thus, the ordinary part-spherical capsule should not be used withoutalteration since the bean will always fall back to the bottom centerposition. Even, however, with a capsule of this type the eyes will atleast have movement although the expression will not materially change.

By putting a substantially horizontal platform in the capsule, the beanmay-shift from one side to the other; but since the bean has theability. to jump vertically slightly I prefer that a platform beprovided in the capsule having a slight central depression which isrelatively flat or horizontal and two slightly elevated lateralplatforms which are also horizontal. The bean may then jumpfto :eitherof the two platforms o-n-either side of the eye or may fall back to thecenter, thus making it possible for the eye to appear to be looking upand sideways or to be looking down.

By this means, therefore, various comic or lugubrious expressions may beimparted to the face of the stuffed toy without the necessity for anymovement on the part of the toy itself.

While my invention is adapted primarily for use in connection with astuffed toy, it is obviously not limited thereto but may be utilized inany connection wherein a pair of moving eyes will be useful or attractattention.

Thus, my invention may be adapted to utilization in connection withdolls and in connection with advertising devices and novelties.

' The primary object of my invention is the utilization of a jumpingbean as the pupil in the eye of a simulated animal, doll, or toy.

Another object of my invention is the arrangement of the eye in whichthe jumping bean is used as a pupil so that the bean may assume variouspositions in the eye to impart various expressions to the face.

Another object of my invention is the utilization of a Mexican jumpingbean or other element having auto-locomotion to simulate the movement ofan apparently animated portion of a structure.

The foregoing and many other objects of my invention will becomeapparent in the following description and drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a side view of the face of a stuffed toy utilizing the eyeof my invention.

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1 lookingin the direction of the arrows through the eye of the toy of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a view in perspective illustrating the adaptation of myinvention to another type of object. o

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Figure 3 lookingin the direction of the arrows.

As shown in Figure 2, the eye I I comprises the transparent capsule l2secured in any suitable manner to a base IS. The base |3is provided withthe barbed pin I 4 which may be pushed into the stuffed toy, therebyholding the eye in place. Any other suitable means may be utilized forholding the eye capsule in place.

The transparent part-spherical cover l2is provided with an inner ledge15 which may be stepped as shown particularly in Figure l to have thelower platform l6 and the side platforms l1 and I8.

A Mexican jumping bean 20 or other element which is useful by itself isaced on the platform [5. Where a movable element of the type of theMexican jumping bean is utilized which comprises the larva within thebean itself, then some means for supplying air thereto should beprovided, and for this purpose one or more openlugs 22 may be placed inthe capsule ll. said openings may be placed in the front transparentpart-spherical member [2, on the base 13 or at the, joint between thefront and the base.

Preferably also the. platform 15 is of transparent material; beingeither of the same material as the front member or of a material havingapproximately the same index of refraction so that it will besubstantially invisible and only the bean which simulates the pupil ofthe eye will be for practical purposes visible in the eye.

The beam may be colored in any suitable manner to simulate the pupil ofthe eye, care being taken that in covering the bean the surface-cf thebean will not be rendered air-tight since the larva. inside requires asupply of air.

With now a stuffed: toy of the type. shown in Figure 1 having two' eyesof the type shown in Figures 1 and 2, the. position of the pupil in theeye simulated by the jumping bean Mwillcontinuously change, and theexpression of the face will continuousiy change irrespective of themovementof the-toy.

In fact, even when the toy is permitted to be perfectly stillas when,for instance, a child places the Teddy bear in a small chair, thecontinuous movement of the eyesand the continual variation in expressionresulting therefrom will create a great deal of interest in the toy.

As previously pointed out, the ledges it, [1, and it are so spaced-withrespect to each other that the bean may readily jump from the ledge itup to the ledge I! or back again and then up to the ledge [8;

The stufied toy may then appear to belooking sideways on either side ordownwardly or may appear to be cross-eyed or wall-eyed creating afurther interest in the toy.

The eye structure of Figure 2 may, of course, be variable all within theprinciples of my invention utilizing the self-moving element 28.

Thus, standard toys may be made with eye capsules of the type of myinvention secured therein any any suitable manner.

In Figures'3 and-4 I have shown the adaptation of my'invention toanother closely related use.

In this case, an ornament for a shelf or wall or vertical ledge as, forinstance, an ornament for thetop of a cashregister in a store may beprovided by the formationof the grotesque figure having the eyes 3i, 32in which the pupils are the jumping beans 20 or other appropriateindependently movable elements.

Here again the pupils are provided. with the ledges l5, ii, and ill onwhich the beans 21 may move. The entire structure may be so arrangedthatit is essentially a channel-shaped member having thehorizontal base34 which may rest on a suitable.v surface and the elements 35 and 36which may engage Opposite sides of the surface in. order to supporttheentire structure.

If desired, the eyes may be illuminated by making the. figure hollow asat, 3? in. Figure 4 and placin a light bulb 39 therein providing a.source of light and heat. The light. from the light bulb passing throughthe, passage 3! to the eyes 3i and 32 will illuminate the eyes while theheat from the light bulb will causev the-jumping bean tojumpm-oreviolently and frequently.

The eyes 3| and 32 are as shown formed by recesses in. the figure,which. recesses may be closed. in any suitable-manner. as by the glassdiscsAfl;

I'amwell aware thatjumping beanshavepre- The viously been used invarious types of games, but in no case has a jumping bean been used tosimulate the motion of an animate portion of a replica of an animal orobject, nor as far as I am aware have jumping beans ever been used inconnection with specific three-dimensional structures for the purpose ofcreating a game.

My invention is primarily directed to the concept that the movement ofthe bean itself will not cause movement of another part of a structure,but the movement of the bean in and of itself, is the desired animatedmovement to be viewed.

In the foregoing I have described my invention solely in connection withspecific illustrative embodiments thereof. Since many variations andmodifications of my invention should now be clear to those skilled: intheart, I prefer to be bound not by the specific disclosuresherein-contained but. only by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A toy comprisin a main body; an eye member including a receptaclecarried by said main body; said receptacle having a substantiallyhorizontal bottom wall and a transparent outer wall; a Mexican jumpingbea-n housed within said receptacle and visible through said transparentouter wall; said Mexican jumping bean having the apparent inherent powerof auto-locomotion and forming the apparent movable pupil of said eyemember; an air admitting opening in'a wall of said receptacle; the massof the main bodyjbeing greater than that which may be moved by anyauto-locomotive movement of the-mass of the Mexican jumping bean, saidbottom wall comprising a pluralityv of horizontalplatforms, saidplatforms being, made of transparent material to render themsubstantially invisible and. so spaced with respect to each other thatthe bean may readily jump from one platform toanother.

2. A toy comprising a main body; an eye. member including a receptaclecarried by said main body; said receptacle having. a substantiallyhori-Zontal bottom wall and a transparent outerwall;

- a Mexican jumping bean housed within said re ceptacle and visiblethrough said transparent outer wall; saidM'exican jumping bean. havingthe apparent inherent power of auto-locomotion andforming the apparentmovable pupilof said eye member; an air admitting opening in a. wall ofsaid receptacle; the mass of the. main bodybeing greater than that whichmay be moved by any auto-locomotive. movement of. the massv oftheMexican jumping bean, said bottom wall comprising a plurality ofhorizontalv platforms and a source. of; light and heat insaid main body;a communicating passage for-the light and heat emanating, from saidsourceto said receptacle, said platforms being made of transparentmaterial to render themsubstantially invisible and'so spaced withrespect to. each. other that the'bean may readily jump. from.one-platform to another;

ALBERT F. DIKSZAS.

REFERENCES CITED 7 The following references are of record, inathe fileof this. patent? UNITED- STATES PATENTS Number:

